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Q: I have an Arcbound Worker, 3 Scale of Chiss Goria, and 3 Skullclamp in play. I tap the three Scales to give my Worker +0/+3, then equip him with the Skullclamps. At the end of turn when the +0/+3 effect goes away and the Arcbound Worker is sent to the Graveyard, what things happen? Specifically:
1.) Do I discard back down to seven cards if I have more than seven?
2.) If so, is there a step between the Discard and the End of turn added in, in which I can play cards from my hand again?
A: 1. Yes, you'd have to discard. Because the condition for a State-Based Effect was met during Cleanup, you deal with the SBE and any triggers, and then start a new Cleanup Step (rule 314.3).
2. Each of the three Skullclamp triggers goes on the stack individually. Players then get priority, and they also get it after any spell or ability resolves from the stack, so you have opportunity to play the cards you draw before having to start a new Cleanup and discard.
Q: Can you use Shunt on an Entwined Tooth and Nail to search your library and put 2 creatures in play instead of your opponent?
A: No. Shunt retargets a targeted spell, and Tooth and Nail isn't targeted. As has been mentioned repeatedly on"Ask the Judge," you'll know a targeted spell by use of the word"target."
Q: Can I use a Dismantle on a Darksteel Reactor to in effect double its counters?
A: Yes. The adding counters part isn't contingent on removing counters. Darksteel Reactor is a valid target for Dismantle, so the spell isn't countered on resolution. You follow all its instructions as best as you can.
Q: When Takklemaggot kills a creature, the player that controlled that creature gets to choose a new target if there are any legal targets in play. My friend insisted that this means that he gets to choose the new target, but I said that I get to choose the new target, just that I could not sacrifice Takklemaggot if I could.
A: Takklemaggot is controlled initially by the player that played it, but each time it goes to the graveyard it returns and is controlled by the player whose creature it was on when it went to the graveyard. Takklemaggot's ability that returns it to play is untargeted. The player simply chooses a creature on resolution of the triggered ability.
Q: If Dross Harvester and, say, four other creatures are in play and they all go to the graveyard at the same time, how much life do I gain?
A: Ten. Dross Harvester triggers on itself and all the creatures that left play at the same time with it. When checking leaves-play triggers, the game looks at the game state just before the permanent(s) left play to see what triggered (rule 410.10d).
Q: With Essence Drain, do you still gain the 3 life even if the target creature is removed?
A: You don't gain the life. If all of a spell's targets are no longer valid, the spell is countered on resolution (rule 413.2a). Essence Drain has only a single target, so it's countered.
Q: What would happen when I play Radiate on a Counterspell?
A: You'll put the Radiate back in your hand. Radiate can only target a spell that targets a single permanent or player. Counterspell is not targeting a permanent or a player, and therefore not a legal target.
Q: If a player attacks with three 5/5 creatures, and defending player plays Reverse Damage on one of the 5/5 creatures, what happerns to the Reverse Damage if the attacking player cast a deflection?
A: Nothing, because Reverse Damage isn't a targeted spell, and therefore not a legal target for Deflection (see the question about Shunt, above). When Reverse Damage resolves, you simply choose a source of damage to prevent (and then gain life).
Q: I have Grab the Reins. If my opponent has already declared 2 attackers, can I play Grab the Reins and use one of his/her attacker creature to block the other creature?
A: No, you can't, unless the creature doesn't tap to attack. After he's declared the attackers, they're tapped, and Grab the Reins doesn't untap the creature, it just gives it Haste.
